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This:
I’m not surprised about Ford being dropped to be honest. There is going to be a lot of pressure coming down the 10 channel. Also, I don’t think Farrell offers anything in attack as a centre.
Glad to see Lawes start, very good player – Kruis will also be destructive coming off the bench in the second half.
And two players with 20 mins of RWC under their belt after long layoffs from Injury.
I am nervous but lets hope this:
Looks like a defense first thought from Jones with Ford to have fun with tired legs if needed. A bold call in the battle of dumb vs dumber :/
...is indeed the plan and it works.
Cheika’s win rate with Australia as of August was 50% – way below average for an Australian national coach. Australia have only beaten England once with him. His win rates with his previous teams is quite variable as well – he’s the not the most convincing of coaches. My money’s on England for a convincing win.
Didn't Cheika get the job because he won Super Rugby competition with the Waratahs which given the recent record of the Aussies teams was a pretty big achievement. Also he was the coach who finally made the breakthrough with Leinster in the HCup. I'm not sure anyone would have done better with current Aussie team.
Seems strange to develop the plan around ford and then drop him for the first big game. Good teams should be imposing their game on others not be chopping and changing depending on opposition.
Seems strange to develop the plan around ford and then drop him for the first big game. Good teams should be imposing their game on others not be chopping and changing depending on opposition.
This x100
Seem to have seen this somewhere before - could it have been the host nation at the last RWC?
Looks like a defense first thought from Jones
If that were the case - JJ at 13 would make the most sense.
Cheika’s win rate with Australia as of August was 50% – he’s the not the most convincing of coaches
Well he did take over a rock bottom Wallabies squad shortly before the last RWC and took them all the way to the final where they gave the ABs a damn good game.
I don’t think Farrell offers anything in attack as a centre.
You too? I thought it was just me?
He doesn't actually offer much in defence either - seeing as he can't actually tackle.
You too? I thought it was just me?
He doesn’t actually offer much in defence either – seeing as he can’t actually tackle.
He has moments, normally when the pack are smashing the opposition. Seems odd to chuck him in at 10 having been at 12 for the last games (other than substitution time).
Jones does appear to be doing what the last few coaches did...shit their conviction at WC.
Well he did take over a rock bottom Wallabies squad shortly before the last RWC and took them all the way to the final where they gave the ABs a damn good game.
Did they win? 😁
They’ve only got a 50% success rate against Scotland under him. Just throwing that out there.
(I shouldn’t make fun - in the Welsh games the Ozzies have won 80%. ☹️ )
So, Farrell's our no 1 place kicker at the RWC, He's stronger in defence than Ford, he less - although not the best admittedly - likely to perform badly under pressure than Ford.
Slade has performed some magic trickery for England, and offers more than JJ in the kicking stakes - he may line up at 12 in attack perhaps to relive pressure on Farrell? Ford is of course on the bench, and may come on after the storm has been weathered with Slade off after 40/60 mins. I bet Aus thought they were running down Fords channel all day long until today. Australia of course have been using their own 10/12 channel to attack, and we have that quite well marked now to force them wide, or into the forwards where I'd expect England to dominate physically over 80 mins.
I'm of the opinion its a defence first, points later setup, with Farrell and Slade charged to keep the Ball down in the Aus 22.
It’s about winning not playing pretty rugby.
Is Ford a good enough spot kicker under pressure?
I imagine there was a lot of consideration for EJ, not just on the fact that AF is proven to be more consistent in big games. AF is probably that bit better defensively as well.
I wouldn't see this as a knee jerk reaction. I'd also see it as being fairly positive for England. They have options during the game depending on how it goes. Build up game and easier pool games, yeah give it a go seeing how good AF looks at centre (not very!) and see how Ford looks at 10 (pretty comfortable)
My personal opinion is that Ford is the better stand off. But, I don't know how well he will cope with the pressure that will be on the England 10. I'd even guess that part of the decision is that AF is not a centre, so he is either dropped from the team (so relying on a different kicker) or England drop Ford and move AF to 10.
I don’t get the Ford being weak in defence thing. He is actually very clever in defence and teams don’t get much out of him and seems to get a bad rep just because he can’t pull quite an angry face as his buddy Owen (who incidentally has shocking defence stats most games!)
I think its a mistake dropping Ford.
My personal opinion is that Ford is the better stand off. But, I don’t know how well he will cope with the pressure that will be on the England 10.
Not a good record in the past.
And btw, AF stopped his short career playing for England rugby union some time ago, I suspect you mean his little boy Owen...
I think its a mistake dropping Ford.
No Scottish advice thanks, we want to get into the final 😉
No Scottish advice thanks, we want to get into the final 😉
Brutality.
Ouch
It's smart. Bring Farrell in closer so there's more cover for tackling and hopefully his awful technique and potential red/yellow tackles will be lessened.
But Oz are going to chuck the big units at Slade and really pressurise the 10/12 channels both in attack and defence. They'll also swing the big unit 12 round the back of Slade on the outside to meet manu on the pull back pass.
Haha!! Sorry, I'm a Rugby League person so easy mistake to make!
I can see how Farrell's defence can look weak. But there is just a little bit more about him defensively. He will slow down/stop a rampaging Australian defender, where as I think Ford may well become overwhelmed. I could be completely wrong.
I think Kryton and myself are in agreement, but its hard to explain in a forum, much easier to explain over a pint of Guinness! Getting excited for the weekend now!
For me, I'm really interested in the battle of the front 5. Scrummaging is going to be really interesting. I've not been impressed by the England front row for a while - nor do I rate Dan Cole (gives away too many penalties) Also Underhill and Curry going to have to play out of their skins. Billy has to be fully fit as well.
Being honest, I just don't think England have the team to cope with Australia. With or without Farrell (or his dad!)
Whats the consensus on the Wales game? Its my wife's birthday on Sunday and we are out for dinner on Saturday night. Going to have to work out how to sneak out of bed early without losing any brownie points! Since 2012 Wales have only lost once to France, but there have been a lot of close games, home and away.
Farrells defence at 10 is good despite what many say here, He has good vision and passing at 12 too. He's a good player. Ford brings other threats into the attack better though.
Vunipola at 1 weakens the scrum and is a bit of a risk although he carries well.
The France Wales game will be close again no doubt, hopefully Wales can win, I'll be gutted if they lose so my usual pessimism must be a bit off.
Hence the move to 10 but also his form slips and the now illegal tackle will com back. He's more exposed at 12.
and hopefully his awful technique and potential red/yellow tackles will be lessened.
With Australia’s form for stupid tackles in this competition it will be interesting to see who gets carded...
Is Ford a good enough spot kicker under pressure?
I imagine there was a lot of consideration for EJ, not just on the fact that AF is proven to be more consistent in big games
I actually think that Ford has the better kicking averages than Farrell at the moment plus his kicking out of hand is better.
We’ll see. It’ll either be a stroke of genius or we’ll be packing our bags.
Carre and Beard onto bench and Shingler and Smith drop out, otherwise unchanged...nerves are jangling now!!
Wales: L Williams; North, Jonathan Davies, Parkes, Adams; Biggar, G Davies; Wyn Jones, Owens, Francis, Ball, Alun Wyn Jones (capt), Wainwright, Navidi, Tipuric.
Replacements: E Dee, Carre, D Lewis, Beard, Moriarty, T Williams, Patchell, Watkin.
Seems like the RWC is really starting properly this weekend.
Now that all the minor teams, like Namibia, Uruguay and Scotland, have had their moments in the sun - it's time for the big boys.
You have to say man for man thats much stronger than Wales. AWJ, J Davies and Williams would get in that side, maybe Tipuric and one of our wingers.
Jangling has been turned up to 11!
France
1. Jefferson Poirot
2. Guilhem Guirado (capt.)
3. Rabah Slimani
4. Bernard Le Roux
5. Sebastien Vahaamahina
6. Wenceslas Lauret
7. Charles Ollivon
8. Gregorie Alldritt
9. Antoine Dupont
10. Romain Ntamack
11. Yoann Huget
12. Gael Fickou
13. Virimi Vakatawa
14. Damian Penaud
15. Maxime Medard
16. Camille Chat
17. Cyril Baille
18. Emerick Setiano
19. Paul Gabrillagues
20. Louis Picamoles
21. Baptiste Serin
22. Camille Lopez
23. Vincent Rattez
My nerves have been jangling all week. The Wales team looks good to me, if that team loses then I don’t think we could have done much better.
namastebuzz - that’s harsh, but I am quite impressed that what to me appears to be clearly the strongest 8 teams have made it to the QFs. I’m not so sure what the best 4 teams are. I don’t hold out much hope for Ireland and Japan will have to go one step up again, but anything could happen in these games, and they could all be very exciting.
I have a bad feeling the France team are going to be on fire, but if Wales want to win the whole thing then they need to be able to beat whatever they come up against. Argh, the tension!
France are shite. Wales know how not to lose. Only one result there.
France are shite. Wales know how not to lose. Only one result there.
I hope you're right.
I hope you’re right
France have some talented players but they're flakey. Plus they've got all sorts of strife in the camp.
Wales are settled. Have a game plan and experience of winning together. Can't see anything other than a Wales win.
The idea of France turning up and being brilliant is now so unlikely that it's almost passed into the realms of mythology.
Yeah but the counterpoint is that Wales are a team of battlers who are well coached but with few game changers, few genuine top class players and in the likes of Francis, Wyn Jones, Jake Ball and Parkes the Poach a core of first 15 players who would not make the wider squads of any of the teams in the 1/4's except from maybe Japan. We also have no actual proper 8 in our entire squad. That Wales have done as well as they have in recent years is done to great coaching and massive work rate.
. That Wales have done as well as they have in recent years is done to great coaching and massive work rate
Indeed but France have had none of that.
The signs of a good game here. Australia have started brightly. C’mon England.
Australia self destruct
I'm watching in our local bar in Boltana!
One try from Aus and this is a very different game. Still very nervous here. Hooper lifted Billy V - should have had 10.
One tryTwo tries from Aus and this is a very different game.
One try from Aus and this is a very different game.
Game on!
Oh.
And there you go..... 🙁
Boom!
I'm surprised in the most gentlemanly of games, that Sinckler's opposite number didn't rush over to pat his head for that try? Or do i misinterpret his earlier congratulation?
I’m surprised in the most gentlemanly of games
But Australia are playing.
Congratulations England, into the semi-finals!
Oh, that was nice!